Can biodegradable materials reduce plastic pollution without decreasing catch efficiency in longline fishery?

Longlining is a widely used fishing method. During longline fishing, some of the snoods connecting the hooks to the mainline are often lost at sea. Since snoods are made of nylon or polyester, lost snoods contribute to marine plastic pollution.

Can vertical separation of species in trawls be utilized to reduce bycatch in shrimp fisheries?

Several shrimp trawl fisheries use a Nordmöre sorting grid to avoid bycatch of fish. However, small fish can pass through the grid. Therefore, the retention of juvenile fish often remains an issue during shrimp trawling.

Predictive models for codend size selectivity for four commercially important species in the Mediterranean bottom trawl fishery in spring and summer: Effects of codend type and catch size.

Models to predict codend size selectivity for four major commercial species-European hake (Merluccius merluccius), Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris), and Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)-in Mediterranean bottom trawl fisheries were established based on data collected during fishing trials using the two legal codends: a 40 mm square-mesh codend and a 50 mm diamond-mesh codend. The models were applied to predict the extent to which size selection depend on codend type, also accounting for the potential effect of codend catch size and fishing season. The size selectivity of the two codends was evaluated and compared in identical simulated controlled conditions.

Effect of Codend Circumference on the Size Selection of Square-Mesh Codends in Trawl Fisheries.

It is well established that increasing mesh number in the circumference of a diamond-mesh trawl codend can reduce size selection for round fish, whereas selection for flat fish species is unaffected. This effect has also been documented in Mediterranean trawl fisheries. In contrast, no information is available with regard to the effect of increasing mesh number in the circumference of square-mesh codends on the size selection of round fish and flat fish species.